Kolo TourÃ©

Kolo Touré ( 2012)

Kolo Touré ( born March 19, 1981 in Bouaké ) is an Ivorian football player.

Club career

The center-back started his football career at the Ivorian giants ASEC Abidjan. In 2000 he made the jump into the first team and was in his first season Ivorian champions. The following season, the championship was won a second time. He then moved for £ 150,000 to the English champions Arsenal.

Right away he got under Arsene Wenger a regular place in midfield and won with his team at the start of his first season, the FA Community Shield Cup. At the end of the season 2002/ 03 he was English runners behind Manchester United and FA Cup winner against Southampton FC.

In the following season he was undefeated champion with Arsenal. In the season 2004/ 05 he had his starting place against Philippe Senderos and Pascal Cygan alongside Sol Campbell defend and was used in 50 competitive games, but he scored a goal against FC Bayern München in the UEFA Champions League, which lost with 1:3 went. The return match was indeed won, but Arsenal on goal difference from difference. At the end of the season Touré was with his team again runners-up and FA Cup winners.

In the new season Touré was used in the defense and the team reached the UEFA Champions League Final, which got lost with 1:2 after Jens Lehmann had received in the 18th minute after a red card for an emergency brake and Arsenal henceforth in outnumbered played. For the club it was the first and so far only eight of the UEFA Champions League, which had Touré makes his second international goal in the semi-final first leg against Villarreal as a winner and the return game had ended goalless. In the Premier League season 2006/ 07 Touré was with his club fourth and lost the Carling Cup final with 1-2 against Chelsea.

In summer 2009, he moved for the equivalent of 16.3 million euros to Manchester City and was appointed captain of the team. However, manager Roberto Mancini was the function of the captain from the 2010/11 season to Carlos Tévez on. On 3 March 2011 Touré was suspended by Manchester City on suspicion of doping after he had been tested in the A- sample to a " specific substance" positive. On 27 May 2011, he has been banned by the FA for six months. The punishment came retroactively from March 2, 2011 and ran until 2 September 2011.

For the 2013/14 season Touré joined free transfer to Premier League rivals Liverpool.

National team career

Touré announced in April 2000, his debut in the Ivorian national team against Rwanda. His best result so far with " the elephant " was that reach the final of the African Cup of Nations in 2006, it lost the Ivorian team on penalties to hosts Egypt. In 2006 Kolo Touré was able to qualify with the national team for the first World Cup, but retired in the first round out. The same result was repeated during the 2010 World Cup on their home continent in South Africa. On October 11, 2012, the Ivorian Football Federation honored him for 115 caps and awarded him and Didier Zokora ( for 135 games) a jersey with the back number "100".

Private

Kolo Touré has two younger brothers who are also professional football players. Yaya Touré is currently playing for Manchester City, Ibrahim Touré is at Al -Ittihad under contract.

Achievements

Association

2001: Ivorian champions
2002: Ivorian champions

2002: FA Community Shield Winners
2003: English Cup
2003: English vice - champion
2004: English champion
2005: English Cup
2005: English vice - champion
2005: UEFA Champions League finalist
2007: Carling Cup Runner

2011: English Cup
2012: English champion
2012: FA Community Shield Winners

National

2006: Vice - football African champions Egypt
2006: Participation in the Football World Cup in Germany ( Vorrundenaus )
2008: Participation in the African soccer championship in Ghana ( 4th place)
2010: Participation in the African soccer championship in Angola ( Quarterfinals )
2010: Participation in the Football World Cup in South Africa ( Vorrundenaus )

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